North Korea vs United States: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre
North Korea
45,097 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
United States
47,004 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
North Korea rank
41st
United States rank
40th
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre over time
- North Korea
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre against 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in North Korea, a difference of 1,907 tonnes per square kilometre.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was United States ahead.
North Korea ranks 41st and United States ranks 40th of 204 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 2 and United States in 5.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,649 tonnes per square kilometre | 14,795 tonnes per square kilometre | 11,145 tonnes per square kilometre | United States |
| 1970s | 9,813 tonnes per square kilometre | 19,123 tonnes per square kilometre | 9,310 tonnes per square kilometre | United States |
| 1980s | 19,870 tonnes per square kilometre | 24,167 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,297 tonnes per square kilometre | United States |
| 1990s | 30,458 tonnes per square kilometre | 29,644 tonnes per square kilometre | 813.99 tonnes per square kilometre | North Korea |
| 2000s | 36,322 tonnes per square kilometre | 35,993 tonnes per square kilometre | 329.07 tonnes per square kilometre | North Korea |
| 2010s | 41,140 tonnes per square kilometre | 42,234 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,094 tonnes per square kilometre | United States |
| 2020s | 44,365 tonnes per square kilometre | 46,187 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,822 tonnes per square kilometre | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre, North Korea or United States?
- United States, at 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre against 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in North Korea as of 2023.
- What is the difference in cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre between North Korea and United States?
- 1,907 tonnes per square kilometre, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and United States?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do North Korea and United States rank globally for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- North Korea ranks 41st and United States ranks 40th of 204 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Statizoid (derived), published as Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Cumulative CO₂ emissions divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.